Crate



BURRIS CRATE APPLICATION vFILE!) APR. 29,192].

' Patented Nov. 21, 1922..

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

13536 314 PatentedNov. 21,192.

M. BURRIS 1 CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

MELVIN BURRIS, OF LMENDON, OHIO.

CRATE.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, MELVIN Burners, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mendon, in the county of Mercer and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Crate, of which the following is aspecification.

The device forming the subject matter of this invention is a crate,adapted to be used for holding hogs, during the operations of ringingand castrating.

The invention aims to provide novel means whereby the hog may be heldduring the operations above alluded to.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the inventionappertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription pro ceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope ofwhat is claimed, changes in the .precise embodiment of the inventionshown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in vertical longitudinal section, a crateconstructed in accordance with the invention: Figure 2 is a section onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the crate;Figure 4 is a cross section of the crate; Figure 5 is a plan of theguide; and Figure 6 is a sectional detail illustrating in elevation oneof the back bars which hold the closure in place.

The crate forming the subject matter of this invention includes a bottom1 carrying an end frame or member 2 having an opening 3. At the oppositeend of the bottom 1 is disposed an end member or frame 4 which, as shownin Figure 3 embodies a top bar 5, a bottom bar 6 an intermediate bar 7and a lower bar 8, the aforesaid bars being disposed horizontally. Thebars above mentioned are connected by inner vertical strips 9,intermediate vertical strips 10, and outer vertical strips 11. The innervertical strips 9 are connected at a point between their ends by an archor cross piece 12. A central vertical strip 14 connects the arch 12 withthe top bar 5. There are openings 15 in one side portion of the arch 12,openings 16 being formed in thelower portion of one vertical strip 9,the openings 15 and 16 bemg disposed on opposite sides of the apertureformed by the part 12 and the lower portions of the strips 9. Thenumeral 17 denotes a curved latch, having inwardly extended ends 18. Oneof the ends 18 of the latch 17 may be seated in any of the openlugs 16,for adjustment, the other of the ends of the latch being adapted to bereceived in any of the openings 15, for adjustment.

A trough-shaped guide 19 is disposed vertlcally within the crate andrests on or 00- operates with the bottom 1. The guide 19 is made up ofupper and lower V-shaped bars 20 connected by side plates 21. The anglesof the bars 21 are connected by securing elements 22 to the arch 12 andto the bottom bar 6. The inner edges of the plate 21 are spaced apart todefine an opening 23 coinciding with the opening existing between thelower ends of the strips 9 below the arch 12.

The upper portion of the end frame 2 is connected with the top bar 5 bytop rails 24. Intermediate rails 25 connect the side portions of the endframe 2 with the outer vertical strips 11 of the end frame 4. The cratemay be closed in by netting 26 if desired.

The invention comprises a barrier, located within the crate. The barrierembodies a plate 27 from which V-shaped brackets 28 project. Latch bars29 are provided, the inner ends of the latch bars being pivoted at 30 tothe brackets 28. The latch bars 29 project through the end frame 4 ofthe crate and are located adjacent to the outer strips 11, the latchbars having handles 31 at their outer ends, and being provided in theirlower edges with notches or seats 32 adapted to engage with the lowerbar 8 of the end frame 4.

A loop-shaped guide 33 is supported on the top rails 24 and havedepending ends 34 connected by securing elements 35 to the top rails. Ananchor 36, which may be an angle bar, is secured to the bottom 1 of thecrate. A vertical keeper 37 is provided, and is equipped at its lowerend with a hook 38 engaged with the vertical flange of the anchor 36. Atits upper end, the keeper 37 is supplied with an eye 39 attached by asecuring element 40 to the guide 33, the keeper passing upwardly withinthe guide. Openings 41 are fashioned in the vertical upstanding flangeof the anchor 36. The nu- I meral 42 denotes a grip in the form of abar, supplied at its lower end with a hook 43 adapted to be mounted foradjustment in any of the openings 41. The grip 41-2 swings within theguide at its upper end with a handle 44;. Openings 45 are made in theguide 33 and into any of the openings &5, a pin or retainer 16 may beinserted, for the purpose of holding the grip 42 against swingingmovement.

In practical operation, when it is desired to ring a hog, theplate :27is swung on its pivotal mounting 30 until the plate lies flat on thebottom 1. Then, the hog may be driven into the crate, through theopening 3 in the end frame 2. The plate 27 then is swung up into thevertical position shown in Figure 1. Latch bars 29 and the plate 27 aredrawn forwardly, by the handles 31, the plate 27 crowding the animalforwardly until his snout protrudes through the end frame 4 beneath thearch 12. The appropriate ones of the seats 32 in the latch bars 29 areengaged with the bar 8, to prevent the hog from backing out. The latch17 is swung upwardly, from the position of Figure 3, to a positionbeneath the lower jaw of the animal, the free end element 18 of thelatch being engaged in one of the openings 15 in the arch 12. Theanimal, thus, is held securely in the crate, the snout oi": the animalprojecting outwardly through the end frame 4, under which circumstances,the ringing operation may be proceeded with. r

In case the animal is to be castrated, the operation above described isproceeded with, aside from the fact that the rump, rather than the headoi. the animal, extends through the end frame t, beneath the arch 12.When the animal is to be cut, the latch 17 is not used. i

The grip 4L2 cooperates with the keeper 37, to engage the neck of theanimal, whilst the ringing operation is being carried out. The functionof the trough-shaped guide 19 is to direct either the head or the rumpoi the animal through the end member or frame 4, beneath the arch. 12,when the animal is thrust toward the end frame at by the action of thebarrier plate 27. The grip 42 may be 33 and is provlded held againstswinging away from the keeper 3?, by the pin 46, and it is possible tomount the lower hook ot the grip 4:2 in any of the openings 4:1, foradjustment.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A ringing and castrating crate having an entrance opening in one end,and provided with an end wall having a reduced aperture; a latch barslidable in the end wall and having means for engaging the end wall; anda barrier disposed upright in the crate, the barrier being pivoted tothe latch bar, whereby the barrier may be laid flat on the bottom of thecrate, to permit the entrance of an animal into the crate. I

2. A device of the class described constructed as set forth in claim 1and further characterized by the provision of an upright trough-shapedguide located adjacent to the end wall and having an opening coincidingwith the aperture in the end wall.

3. A crate for ringing and castrating animals comprising an end wallincludinga cross piece; a latch pivoted to the end wall and cooperatingwith the cross piece; a keeper in the crate; a swinging grip in thecrate and cooperating with the keeper; a barrier in the crate; and meansfor holding the barrier in adjusted positions, the barrier being pivotedto said means whereby the barrier may be laid flat on the bottom of thecrate.

a. A crate of the class described having an entrance opening in one walland a' reduced aperture in the opposed Wall, a bar slidable in saidaperturedwall and having means to engage said wall, a barrier in saidcrate mounted to swing vertically into up right position and to lie flatagainst the bottom thereof, and a connection between said bar andbarrier whereby the latter is actuated and held in operative position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN BURRIS.

lVitnesses LABAN HAYs, Dow MoGr'ILHA'RY.

